We love it when a couple makes their Jewish wedding totally, completely them – and that’s exactly what Elana and Seth did. Every single choice they made – from incorporating family and friends at every step of the process to deciding to wed at their family homestead, where Elana’s family has lived for more than thirty years and the couple now make their home – was rooted in their desire to plan a celebration that felt more like, in the couple’s words, a “participatory cultural gathering” than a conventional wedding.
Elana and Seth, along with Elana’s parents and other family and friends, spent months preparing the property for the big day, doing everything from growing flowers to clearing paths and rigging infrastructure. The couple’s intimate Jewish ceremony, which took place on a Friday, featured so many personal touches, from a pre-wedding bathtub mikvah to an elemental procession involving all the guests to Seth’s family chuppah to the couple’s fabulous ketubah from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Once Upon a Paper.
The duo worked with artist Elena to create a bespoke design, and, in Seth’s words, “She welcomed every out there idea we brought to her and created something that felt both ancient and entirely personal. The final result is a true reflection of us.” Don’t miss her incredible work in the images by Kali Taylor and Thais Aquino.
There’s so much more to say about this very special celebration (which included a Wedding Crashers-themed party the Saturday following the chuppah), but we’ll let the couple fill you in on the rest…
How We Met
Seth: We first crossed paths in Lake Tahoe in 2014, when Elana was touring as a performing artist. I remember feeling her energy before we had even properly met or had a deep conversation. We remained loosely connected through overlapping community throughout the years, but it was not until 2022 that we truly sat down together and started to get to know one another.
Elana: I thought it was a business meeting. Seth had other ideas.
Seth: I remember saying jokingly, not jokingly, “I’m Jewish, you’re Jewish… our mothers are going to love each other ;)” Elana rolled her eyes but was intrigued at my boldness.
Elana: At the time, I was amidst a year of celibacy and consciously creating space to call in a life partner. Seth arrived right at the threshold of that year. It gave us space to deepen a genuine friendship while our love organically revealed itself to both of us.
